Lexicon Pharmaceuticals has begun dosing in a Phase IIa trial with LX6171, an oral drug candidate for the treatment of cognitive impairment associated with disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia and vascular dementia.

The initial stage of the trial will assess the bioavailability of a single-dose oral suspension in 16 healthy elderly subjects, and the second stage will be a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled evaluation of safety, tolerability, and cognitive effects in approximately 120 subjects over four weeks. 

Results from the study, which is being conducted in Europe, are expected by the end of 2008, according to Lexicon.